Monday Night Wars Edition

Piper, Warrior to complete the WCW War games team

Undertaker and Kane Appear Together for the First Time

By this Sunday evening, I hope to have Starrcade: Deadly Unions - The AfterParty/AfterMath up and running. It will not only feature the winner of the "Luke Peep Show" it will foreshadow a meeting that will rock the "what-if" world in the stories.

In the meantime, here is something to hold you over. Remember The Triple Threat attacked Magnum TA in pt. 6 of the Starrcade story? Well, Magnum faces his former student in an ECW Heavyweight Title Match under IronMan rules!!! This story is up now and here is the URL: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/5647/shaneta.html

Check it out and tell me about it.

Nitro Report

The program opens with a limo coming into the rear entranceway of the arena. Hollywood Hogan disembarks with the Disciple, Eric Bischoff and Miss Elizabeth. Voodoo Child cav be heard playing in the arena - they go right to the ring.

Nitro is live from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Bischoff performs his usual synchopatic introduction and then goes on to extoll his own "power of the pen" - to keep anyone out (meaning the Warrior), or in ("...do you hear me Eddie..?") the promotion. Hogan takes the mic and puts down Diamond Dallas page and others, including the Warrior , who (he says), will not be in the War Games. He states that he will go on to beat Goldberg for the World Title after he wins War Games (don't count on it, Venice Beach boy...). Cut to commercial.

The opening montage rolls as we return. The announcers recall the Warrior's appearance last week then show a clip of his entrance and Hogan's reaction.

Mike Enos vs. Wrath - we haven't seen the latter is several months. The former Adam Bomb/Nightstalker (Brian Clark) looks as massive as ever. His new outfit, in fact is very much like the costume he used to wear in his WWF incarnation. Enos tries to get in the first licks but can't sustain his advantage. Wrath dominates the match for several minutes. Enos breaks lose for a moment or two then Wrath executes a pump handle-slam variation to put his opponent away. Cut to commercial.

We get another clip of the Warrior before the announcers talk about the situation some more. They then turn to the developing angle between Kevin Nash and Goldberg and show a clip to illustrate same.

Nitro Grrrls cavort among the crowd then we get a Nitro Party video.

Kaz Hayashi vs. Dean Malenko - this is a squash set-up pure and simple. Hayushi is a quintessential Japanese jobber, being one of Ultimo Dragon's much (undeservedly, in my opinion) celebrated students who have been appearing in WCW lately. The extent of the youngsters offense lasts about 10 seconds then Malenko takes over again just before we cut to commercial. If this match is still going when we return it will prove that pro-wrestling is a work... ;-)

Gosh, all of my illusions are shattered... Malenko releases a rear chinlock then drops an elbow on his opponent's head as we return. He is immediately knocked out of the ring, then Hayushi follows up with a twisting suicide dive. Back in the ring Hayushi tries to hold onto his advantage and succeeds until he throws a moonsault and misses. Hayushi comes back aggressively but Malenko is in control now. His last flurry ends in a Teaxas Cloverleaf. Cut to a Wolf Pack tribute video...

...then to the real thing. Kevin Nash, Konnan and Lex Luger come to the ring. Luger recites the cliche "in the house" greeting then hands the mic to Konnan who gets the crowd to respond in their usual fashion. Nash then says, "Now, down to business..." He puts Hogan down and says, "...you want a war? Well, brother, you gotta war..." He then turns his attention to Goldberg. Nash definitely has issues with the World Champ. He says, if Goldberg wants to bury the hatchet, a good way to do it would be to be his tag team partner to face the Giant and Hogan tonight. Goldberg stalks to the arena accompanied by a phalanx of security then strides right to the ring to confront Nash. He says simply, "If you want it, you've got it." then he stalks away. Nash confirms what was said for the crowd then tells Hogan and the Giant, "...your next!" Cut to commercial.

We return to another Warrior clip. Hogan offers him the nWo colors.

Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart vs. Konnan - these two are of approximately equal size but all of the wrestling talent is in Konnan's corner. Neidhart probably has a slight edge in pure power as a former power-lifter and he uses that advantage as well as he can. Konnan out-wrestles him and slaps on a Tequilla Sunrise in under 5 minutes.

Tony stands at the bottom of the ramp and calls Stevie Ray out for an interview. Stevie is dressed in civies. He doesn't want to talk about what the nWo guys were saying to him as they slapped him around last week. Booker T shows up rather suddenly. He says he left the country to get away from wrestling for a while and to heal his body. He then turns to Stevie and says, "what the hell is going on..?" Tony mentions that Booker has been named as the #1 contender for the US Title. Stevie wants them to go after the Tag belts - but Booker is adamant that he will face Bret Hart tonight and he wants Stevie to watch his back. I smell a heel turn coming... They leave arguing as we turn to the ring and watch the Nitro Grrrrls dance in black. Cut to commercial.

Tony is in the ring as we return and is yelling again. He introduces Diamond Dallas Page. DDP cuts through the crowd on his way to the ring. Tony wants to know the status of the Warrior vis-a-vis the War Games match. Page invites "someone who wants to help to step up to the plate." Roddy Piper's bagpipe music plays and the commissioner arrives. He tells DDP that he has been doing one hell of a job and shakes his hands. He then mentions that he has been out in Hollywood with some of the Time-Warner people and states that he has been told that he (Piper) is the only person that Bischoff can't fire. He names himself as the first volunteer to join DDP and then states that before the program is over he will exert all of his powers to add the Warrior to the team. Cut to commercial.

Steve McMichael vs. Riggs - Mongo bulls Riggs into the corner and gets a boot to the gut for his trouble. That could be the last we see of Riggs. Mongo is all over him...but then gets levered out of the ring. As Mongo returns, Riggs asserts his authority and is relentless. He slaps on a reverse chinlock. Mongo fights to his feet and escapes momentarily, but Riggs buries a knee in his gut then dominates the action for the next several minutes. Mongo finally comes back with a series of three-point tackles then follows it up with his spike finisher. He gets the pin but then turns around and gets smacked with the Stop sign by Horace. Horace and Sick Boy attack Mongo but then Dean Malenko runs in to save his bacon. Saturn runs in but, after a short confrontation with Malenko, attacks Horace. Mongo and Malenko clear the ring and Mongo wants Malenko to make the Four Horsemen gesture. He declines, but shakes Mongo's hand then departs. More Nitro Grrrls see us off to sell something.

Another Warrior clip reminds us that he plans to "launch a revolution" this week.

Rick Fuller vs. Scott Norton (w/Vincent) - Fuller matches Norton in size but not in power. He manages to clotheline his opponent to the mat but Norton pops right back up and powerbombs him. He gets the pin. Cut to an nWo tribute video then to commercial.

Another Warrior clip as we return - the Warrior vanishes after the confrontation.

Scott Steiner comes to the ring with his "Doctor". Tony is saying that Scott has signed for a match with his brother tonight. Right... Steiner confirms that notion by calling Rick out - but his "Doctor" says he can't wrestle. Scott declines to take his advice and calls Rick out once more. The Dog-faced Gremlin's music plays and Buff Bagwell comes out doing his Rick Steiner impression again. Steiner offers him a doggy treat rather then a match, has him do a few doggy tricks then pretends to pin him. Cut to commercial.

Brian Adams (w/Vincent) vs. Lex Luger - Adams abandons the ring as Luger enters then comes back to begin the match. Both men are very cautious to begin. They lock up and neither seems to have a definite power advantage. They spar for several moments without any real movement one way or another. Vincent finally distracts Luger so that Adams can take control for a while. Luger is thrown out so that Vincent can gets some licks in. Luger is rolled back in but Adams' cover in arrogant and fails. Adams grabs a head scissors on the mat. He releases the hold and drops his leg twice then flings Luger into the corner. He next tries an atomic drop but Luger blocks it and comes back. The battle see-saws, then Adams downs Luger and applies a nerve hold. Rest time... Luger gets loose for a moment then Adams gorilla presses him then drops him onto his knee in a gut-buster. But Luger comes roaring back and gets the forearm shot to the top of the head. He follows with a powerslam then gets distracted by Vincent again. Adams attacks from behind and hoists Luger up but the Totel Package slips away then racks the big guy!! That's all folks... Cut to commercial.

The Warrior makes his appearance as we return. This time he runs to the rings and goes into his high-energy, rope-shaking routine of old. He says that he stood face-to-face with his mentor last week and talks about how he used to emulate the Hulkster but now it is not the same. As usual he uses about four times as many words as are needed to express himself, but the crowd eats it up. He promises to turn Hogan's world upside down, starting tonight. He says he is lauching the "One Warrior Nation" revolution to destroy Hogan. He says (in so many, many, many words...) that his revolution will be based on good things, not bad then promises to come back and do it again next week. Could it be that this guy is all talk..? Cut to commercial.

Curt Hennig vs. Chris Jericho - World TV Title match - Hennig comes to the ring on his own for a change. This could be an excellent match if the nWo stays out of it. Jericho slips and falls on his way to the ring (doing his Hawk impression..?) Hennig seems to find his opponent laughable and soon has Jericho throwing a temper tantrum. They pull each other's hair and slap each other like a couple of girls then Hennig explodes and takes the advantage. Jericho comes back with a knife-edge chop and a back-round kick to the chest. Hennig reasserts himself and knocks his opponent to the floor, pounds on him some more then rolls him back into the ring. Jericho goes back on the attack as Hennig re-enters. The match see-saws then Hennig misses a drop kick. Jericho goes for the Lion Tamer but Hennig gets to the ropes. Hennig goes for his Fisherman's Suplex but Jericho blocks it and gets a cradle. They continue to battle then the time limit runs out. Here comes the Giant again - he grabs Hennig by the throat and throws him down. Jericho is getting while the getting's goood as the Giant and Hennig face each other in the ring. They leave together but Hennig is confused and argumentative as they retreat up the aisle. Nitro Grrrls dance at the foot of the ramp as Tony hawks some live cards. Booker and Stevie are still having words in the back. Cut to commercial.

Bret Hart comes to the ring and makes a statement regarding his bogus relationship with Sting. He compares it to his relationship with Hogan and talks about all the people he's "wiped out" since coming to WCW.

Booker T vs. Bret Hart - US Title match - Booker's music plays but he fails to appear - so we go sell something.

It appears that Stevie has decided to take over Booker's match. Booker is down and holding his knee. It is unclear who put him down but suspicion falls immediately on his brother. Stevie goes to the ring and demands to know from Hart what happened to Booker. Hart denies any involvement as members of the nWo come to the ring carrying nWo shirts. They offer to take him into the group. Stevie accepts the shirts and the offer. Cut to commercial.

Hollywood Hogan/Giant (w/the Disciple) vs. Kevin Nash/Goldberg - the nWo guys make their entrance then we cut to commercial.

Nash comes out on his own followed by Goldberg. As far as I know, Goldberg has never wrestled in a tag match. Nash and the Giant mix it up it start. Nash avoids the big shots then they lock up greco roman style for about 1/2 a second. Now it's turning into a slug fest as they pound on each other. Nash gets the upperhand out of it and leaves the Giant slumped on the bottom rope. They go at each other with lariats and collide with little affect. Then they both plant boots in each others faces and go down!! Hogan and Goldberg come in and circle each other warily. They hook it up and Hogan is repelled twice. Hogan finally gets a series of forearm smashes to his opponent's back then strangles him against the ropes. He pounds his head into the turnbuckle but that just wakes the monster up. Goldberg rolls right over Hogan but then gets belted (no pun intended) by the Disciple. Nash attacks then chases Disciple on the outside while Hogan pounds on Goldberg in the ring. Nash is ganged up on outside as Goldberg starts to come back. But now Hennig is in the ring and things are starting to break down. The nWo troups pound on the Champ then Nash comes back in followed by Lex Luger. It's 4 to 3 in favor of the nWo Black & White until Konnan evens the odds. Everyone falls outside leaving Goldberg to squash Hennig and pin him (huh...?) Oh well, Hogan comes in and grabs Goldberg, Nash tries to put a foot in Hogan's face but gets Goldberg instead. Nash an Hogan are out of the ring and now the Giant attacks Goldberg and clotheslines him to the floor. Now Piper, Warrior and DDP run out and clear the ring. On the outside Goldberg abd nash are facing off again as we fade to black.

RAW Report

About an hour and 20 minutes into the RAW braodcast I realized suddenly that my VCR had cut out. It appears that I only missed a few minutes but if anyone notices that I failed to report on something - that is why.

We catch sight of the Undertaker coming out of Kane's dressingroom before the program starts.

RAW is live this week from Philadelphia at the Center Arena.

The Undertaker and Kane enter together!! It looks like the speculation is ended. There is a cage ala "Hell in the Cell" hanging over the ring. Vince McMahon appears on the ramp and gestures toward the ring as if to say, "See, didn't I tell you..?" He goes to the ring and starts his rant, saying "after all those lies we get to the truth. I told you so..." He states that the Undertaker will certainly win the World Title again with Kane at his side, but, he says, "...there will come a time when you will need Vince McMahon..." and challenges him to say whether he considers Vince a friend or a foe before the night is over. Paul Bearer waddles down to the ring looking put-out. The crowd chants "Bullsh*t!! Bullsh*t!!" as Uncle Paul pleads with Kane to stay with him. He goes as far as to refer to Kane's mother as a "whore" - Kane restrains his brother at that point. Paul demands that Kane destroy the Undertaker, but Kane turns his back and UT goes to work on Paul Bearer. Mankind comes down but then turns his back on Kane and UT - they pound him into the mat and then deliver a spiked Tombstone. Mcmahon is back and ranting about Steve Austin when the Rattlesnake shows up.As he comes down the ramp a wall of fire suddenly erupts in front of him, forcing him to stop. So he rants from the ramp. He concedes that he doesn't stand much of a chance against the two of them - and then vows that he will take one of them out tonight.

Ken Shamrock vs. Dan Severn - Shamrock makes his entrance as JR hawks this as "the most eagerly awaited match-up in years" in an amazing bout of hyperbolie (most fans really don't care one way or another about Severn at this point - I think they should have held off on this contest for a while...). We cut to commercial before Severn enters.

We see that Mankind was stretchered away during the break. Severn enters shortly thereafter as we review clips of the triple-threat match from last week. Shamrock throws a boot as Savern enters the ring but misses. Severn takes him down but Shamrock escapes and goes for an ankle lock. Both are going for a quick submission here. As the match progresses, Severn displays his superior wrestling style but most of the excitement emanates from Shamrocks direction. Owen Hart runs in and attacks Shamrock and it is clear that this was a set-up. Steve Blackman has to run in and make the save. Shamrock snaps after the match and suplexes Blackman - Blackman pays him back in kind then leaves the ring as Shamrock recovers and chases the assembled officials from the ring then goes out and pounds his head on the steps!! In the back, Mankind is loose and pushing his stretcher around and EMT personnel are scattered around in a dazed state. Cut to commercial.

Mankind pushes his stretcher back to the ring as we return. He enters the ring and starts a rant on recent developments. He says McMahon has offered him a chance at "redemption" by taking part in a "Hell in the Cell" match with Kane tonight. He displays a bag of 7000 thumb tacks which he will surely feel the brunt of himself. He states that he doesn't care whether or not he gets his a$$ kicked. This is followed by clips from the last such match.

Sable comes out to the ring as we cut to commercial.

Sable introduces Kurrgan accompanied by the rest of the Oddities.

Kurrgan vs. Marc Mero - Mero demands that the rest of the Oddities be removed from the ring area. Kurrgan says, "why not..?" And then proceeds to crush his smaller opponent until Mero attacks the knees. That doesn't last long and Kurrgan is in control again as Jaquelyn suddenly bursts out of the crowd and attacks Sable at ringside. In the ring, Mero resorts to a low blow and gets disqualified. Jaquelyn is chased away with Mero then sable is helped back up the ramp.

In a dressing room, X-Pac invites the camera in and has them taping while he urinates into a pair of cowboy boots - probably Jeff Jarrett's. Cut to commercial.

Southern Justice vs. the New Age Outlaws - the announcers (JR and Lawler) ignore Al Snow who has a mic and wants to help with the "color disintery" - he is still trying to get a meeting with McMahon. The Road Dog stumbles over his introduction then apologizes to the crowd before continuing. Billy gets the children to yell "Suck it!" and then we are underway. Jeff Jarrett comes out and grabs a dead mic. When he can't get that to work he snatches Snow's headset to demand that X-Pac come out and face him. In the ring the match is being ignored (and with good reason - it's a stinker...) Mark Canterbury comes out to lend Jarrett a hand, meanwhile, in the ring, Dennis Knight is being double teamed and pinned. After the bell, Jarrett sics his ruffians on a cameraman and shaves his head (well, he did warn the guy to stop taking pictures of his feet...) Cut to commercial.

The cell is lowered onto the ring as we return and then Kane makes his entrance with his brother.

Kane (w/the Undertaker) vs. Mankind - Hell in the Cell match - Mankind downs one of the referees then climbs the wall of the cell. He is hauled down by the officials so he attacks them. As Kane tries to come out he gets a face full of cell door. Mankind goes after a chair and tries to throw it up on top of the cell. He succeeds in hitting Lawler with the chair on his second attempt. Mankind starts up the cage wall again but UT pulls him off and drops him onto one of the broadcast tables. Kane takes over and rams him into the cell wall - the announcers are begging them to take the match into the cage. They work their way around to the door where Kane positions Mankinds body in the doorway then slams the cage door on it. The match finally goes to the indside where Kane tosses the ring steps in and uses them on Mankind. Foley falls out of the ring and Kane splashes him. He goes back into the ring and tries to throw the steps on Foley, but he has disappeared under the ring. He re-emerges on the other side with his bag of tacks and a chair. He attacks Kane with the chair then goes for the tacks. He is scattering them in the corner when Kane attacks and knocks him down on them. Mankind comes back with a mandible claw but Kane breaks free. Next Foley gets a piledriver and Kane ends up falling on the tacks but he gets right back up and returns fire with the chair. Mankind also comes right back but gets Tombstoned. Kane grabs the chair and positions it in center ring. Then picks it back up and brains Mankind twice more. He then Tombstones Foley on the chair. At this point Steve Austin suddenly appears out of nowhere inside the cage and starts pounding on Kane. He delivers a big chair shot then the Stunner. Meanwhile the Undertaker is climbing to the top of the cell. He's trying to break through the top of the cell but then it starts raising into the air. McMahon is revealed to be in control of this development. Austin delivers a second Stunner then grabs the stretcher and goes looking for McMahon as we cut to commercial.

UT and Kane are together in the ring as the cell rises into the air. UT starts to make a statement and it is here that my VCR cut out. It looks like I missed about five minutes of the broadcast.

As my tape comes back, DX are out in the parking lot looking for the Nation - we get a clip of some of what I missed. Looks like Shawn Michaels took a hand in protecting Chyna from being attacked by Mark Henry. That's all I got from it. Michaels is with the broadcast team now.

Val Venis vs. Taka Michnoku - Mr. Cheese has a definite size advantage while Taka is the better wrestler. Venis is about to wrap things up when HHH comes down with a chair and attacks both of them. He makes a statement telling that the "Rock" is going to be his b*tch at SummerSlam. Cut to commercial.

Highway to Hell video. Gosh, I believe that dancer is nude...from the waist up, anyway. More hype then cut to commercial.

Gangrel vs. X-Pac - Gangrel attacks Waltman in the midst of his annoying video. X-Pac battle back and the match see-saws. Waltman is looking better then ever these days. In the middle of the match, Dubba J shows up and brains Waltman with a guitar. HHH chases him out of the ring and Gangrel keeps his undefeated streak going. As his compatriots haul X-Pac away, Edge suddenly explodes off the top and attacks Gangrel. He has to be pulled off by officials. Gangrel seems to be enjoying himself. In the back, Bart Gunn and Bradshaw are warming up for their BFA final and the Undertaker is observed wheeling a casket as we go to commercial.

Bart Gunn vs Bradshaw - Brawl for All Final match - Bradshaw is knocked down in less then 30 seconds of the first round. He takes a standing 8 count then they go back at it...for about 2 seconds. The first punch floors Bradshaw and Bart Gunn has won the tournament.

Michael Cole is with McMahon. Vince is confident that he will get the answer he wants from the Undertaker and Kane.

The lights go out and then trun blue. Druids are chanting but nothing else seems to be happening. Finally they appear rolling the casket down the ramp. They park it next to the ring and then split. The Undertaker makes his entrance. He grabs a mic and vows to take the WWF Title. He promises that Kane will not interfere, he intends to win the Championship on his own. Tonight, however, is personal. He invites Austin to "take a ride on the Highway to Hell tonight." This brings McMahon to the ring. He wants his answer. Vince McMahon - friend or foe? Undertaker's answer is a chokeslam! Austin emergs from the casket and goes into the ring! He is followed almost immediately followed by Kane from the same casket! He attacks Austin as UT looks on. Aistin goes out and gets a chair then retreats up the ramp. Fire erupts on the ramp again and the Highway to Hell music blairs as we fade to black.

Both promotions put on good shows tonight.

At least that's the way I see it...

Earl Oliver Editor, Solie's Wrestling Newsletter

(Editor's Note: If you have found anything thats been said here to be particularly offensive please read this disclaimer).

This is the official web site of my friend Jeremy Hartley and the home of the "Up Close and Personal" RealAudio show. Jeremy has assembled all of his UCP interviews here and will also be featuring my "Time Machine" series which used to run on the TBR Wrestling Hotline. Jeremy has interviews with such wrestling personalities and Lou Thesz, Les Thatcher, Bob Blackburn, Buddy Landel and people associated with the Internet Wrestling Community such as Al Isaacs, Bob Ryder, Scot Teal, J. Michael Kenyon and even yours truely!

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